Book Description

The scientific study of forgiveness is a new approach to an age-old problem. For thousands of years, people have practiced forgiveness within religious systems. Now, the new field of scholarly research of forgiveness reveals the beneficial aspects of the process. This volume draws from papers presented by research scientists and theologians at a conference on forgiveness, sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. Contributors include Elliot Dorff and Martin Marty discussing religious interpretations, followed by social implications explained by Kenneth Pargament and Mark Rye. Roy Baumeister, Julie Exline, and Kristin Sommer present the victim's point of view. Other contributors focusing on the forgiveness research are: Everett Worthington, Robert Enright, Catherine Coyle, Carl Thoresen, Frederic Luskin, and Alex Harris. An annotated bibliography by Michael McCullough, Julie Exline, and Roy Baumeister, covers the empirical literature on the subject. Lewis Smedes concludes with the four steps necessary for forgiveness: moving from estrangement to forgiveness to reconciliation to hope. "The flames of violence engulfing the world have prompted social scientists to look for fresh solutions, one of which is forgiveness. Although theologians and philosophers have written much on the subject, social scientists subjected it to "benign neglect" until 1985, when some empirical research began. This is a collection of papers from a symposium convened to define the field and lay the foundation for future research.... The authors are major contributors in the field, and they have succeeded admirably in their mandate." —Library Journal